GOVERNMENT Weekly REVIEW. PM: time to lay foundation of post-crisis development. President Nazarbayev: Eurasian Union becomes reality. Main national weekly Yegemen Kazakhstan marks 90th anniversary.

The State Budget Commission held the 24th session that was led by PM Karim Massimov. A draft resolution of the Kazakh Government "On realization of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On state budget for 2010-2012" was considered and approved at the sitting. The administrators of budget programs were urged to present specified budget requests to the Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning within five days and submit corresponding changes to the database of the "State Planning Information System". Besides, they were charged to work out draft rules on the use of targeted transfers and subsidizing of the rate of return on loans and submit them for the Government's consideration till January 15, 2010. The local executive bodies were charged to ensure start of competitions on the implementation of socially-significant investment projects till January 15, 2010.
Karim Massimov gave a number of tasks to the tax authorities of Kazakhstan at the Government's regular sitting on December 22. The Premier noted 100 percent implementation of indices of tax collection and urged to continue the work in 2010. Due to the creation of the Customs Union and Single Economic Space Mr. Massimov charged First Vice Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev and Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev to coordinate work of tax services. Besides, he urged to prepare for withdrawal of single coupons and overall declaration of incomes planned for 2011.
Kazakhstan has solved difficult issues in the financial sphere. President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at the meeting with the diplomatic corps in Akorda: "We have stabilized the situation in the financial sphere, completed negotiations with investors in London, which also involve Alliance Bank and Bank TuranAlem. In this regard I can expect total stabilization of the financial system".
"The global crisis made us estimate the work, policy, economy in the financial sector and work out the new prospects", the President noted. He also expressed confidence that Kazakhstan's economy will get on the right way. Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that this year, despite the global crisis, Kazakhstan has launched 170 industrial facilities. "Along with increase in oil production volumes expected mostly in 2014-2015 we will drive development in this sphere westwards", Nursultan Nazarbayev said. The Head of the State noted that this year with support of foreign partners Kazakhstan "deeply integrated into the global energy and transport system". The President spoke about the strategic importance of the agreements on creation and expansion of the existing energy routes for transportation of Kazakhstan's oil and gas. Among such routes are the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, launch of "Western Kazakhstan - Western China" oil pipeline and "Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan - China" gas pipeline. Speaking about the last project N. Nazarbayev emphasized that "this is a large-scale project that will let increase the role of Kazakhstan in provision of global energy security."
If from the beginning of 2009 we have solved difficult crisis problems, now it is the time we lay the foundation for the post-crisis development. Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov said so at the Government's sitting. "Our groundwork, by which we overcame acute phases of the crisis, should be developed further", the Premier noted. The Kazakh Premier supported a proposal of First Vice Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev on creation of staffs headed by governors, which control facilities, which are constructed within the framework of the state programs.
The same day President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at the meeting with diplomatic corps in Astana: "Once the Customs Union is created, the initiative on Eurasian Union will become a reality". The Head of the State noted that the Customs Union would enable to organize a common market with more than 170 million people, and for the business of the member states (Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus) it would be very profitable. Besides, he noted that the sides intended to continue to coordinate efforts aimed at joining the WTO. "The decision on establishment of the Customs Union lays the foundation for the formation of single economic space - the next stage of the integration process which means free transfer of both service and human capital", N. Nazarbayev said. He noted that any CIS country could join the organization, but "they will have to overcome a difficult path." "Our states prepared more than 30 legislative acts that should pass certain state procedures", the Kazakh leader stressed. Thus, the President said that "the initiative on creation of the Eurasian Union, the next stage after the Single Economic Space becomes real." Kazakhstan will not change its foreign policy priorities, the Head of the State said at the meeting with the representatives of diplomatic corps.
"Our country is developing an active cooperation with the CIS and Central Asia states. Trade, investments, energy and transport remain the major spheres of the Kazakhstan-Central Asia bilateral interaction", N. Nazarbayev said. "The idea of integration of the CA states is still on the agenda. It is based on the Council of cooperation of the Turkic-speaking countries and our joint Aral Sea Rehabilitation Fund", the President noted. The relations with Russia, China and the USA take a special place in Kazakhstan's foreign policy. Regional security, energy, trade, transport and communications are main directions of cooperation with them. "We are ready to develop and strengthen these relations and reproach our positions", the President said. "Consolidation of the partnership relations with the European countries holds the key place in our foreign policy while the agreements on strategic partnership with Spain, France and Italy raise our relations to a brand new level", he stressed. New prospects of cooperation in economy are opened in the relations with the Middle East, Gulf States, Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.
Kazakhstan will continue its interaction with the international community, the USA regarding joint solution of the situation in Afghanistan, the President stated. Alongside he reminded of allocation of USD 50 mln for teaching Afghan students under a special program next year. The program will cover around 1, 000 students and is scheduled for 9 years.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated the staff of "Yegemen Kazakhstan" newspaper on the 90th anniversary while visiting their new office and gave an interview to the state mass media. As earlier reported, the Kazakh President charged to allocate by five apartments to staff members of the "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda" and "Yegemen Kazakhstan" newspapers on the eve of their anniversaries. "The President highly appraised the activity of our newspaper and congratulated the "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda" personnel on their anniversary that will be marked on January 1, 2010", President of "Yegemen Kazakhstan" Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov told journalists. According to him, the plans of the newspaper are changed and corrected in course of time, but the policy of serving to people remains unchanged. The staff of the newspaper includes 105 people. The "Yegemen Kazakhstan" is the oldest national newspaper published in the Kazakh language.
"We must build up industrial economy", Head of the State Nursultan Nazarbayev said during his visit to the new office of the "Yegemen Kazakhstan". The President stressed that the Kazakhstan Development Program for 2010-2020 provides allocation of several dozen billion dollars for investment projects. To date agreements on credits and investments were signed with China, France, Italy, South Korea and international financial organizations. The program is fully provided with finances. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev also told about the big international integration projects "West Europe - West China", "Turkmenistan - China", "Beineu - Bozoi" gas pipeline, passing through the territory of our state. N.Nazarbayev also named other projects the country that will continue to work on in the future, creating new jobs and conditions for country's development. The Head of the State stressed that there is no any state that plans the economy growth right after the crisis. The Government developed the Kazakhstan Development Program for 2010-2020. The first five-year plan of the implementation of the program will be put into practice the next year.